Mine prop



J an. 5, 1937. H. TousslNT ET A1.

MINE PRoP Filed sept. 1'7, 1984 4 4 w w 4, O x n 0 7 /1 M Patented Jan. 5, 1937 PATENT OFFICE Mms mon Heinrich Toussaint, Berfi-Lankwitz, ana .Egmont Heintzmann, Bochum, Germany Application September 17, 1934, Serial No. 744,416 In Germany September 21, 1933 4 Claims.

- O ur invention relates to an adjustable mine prop clamp comprising two telescopically related wedge. shaped metallic pieces which, by adjusting, fixing and releasing, as well as yielding friction, can adaptthemselves to the pressure on the prop toa certain degree.

2 According to this invention the main wedge is provided with a conjugate wedge able to move with ;the inner supporting part of the prop, the' main'wedge serving only for the purposes of adjusting, fixing and releasing the wedge gear by remaining in its position during the sinking (telescoping) of the inner member of the prop. The main wedge can easily be released and raised and the accompanying conjugate wedge can be placed in a determined position each time the prop is adjusted (lengthened or shortened). By the present construction the supporting parts of the prop and the clamp cooperate one with the other in a manner to adapt the working resistance of the prop to the character of the rock formation with which the prop is used.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a mine prop.

Fig. 2 shows a view of the two joined wedges, the wedge 4 being modified.

Fig. 3 shows a section along the line A-B of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a section along the line C-D of Fig. 1.

The prop consists of a pair of telescopically related supporting parts and 2. The inner part 2 is wedge shaped in side elevation (see Fig. 1.)- The outer supporting part is formed as a longitudinal metallic channeled body having an open side. At the upper end of the part l is located a wedge shaped pocket 9. The inner supporting part 2, consisting of metal, is of U-shape in cross section and slides in the outer supporting part The two supporting parts and 2 are held in their desired positions relative to one another by means of a metallic main wedge 3 functioning as an adjusting, fixing and releasing wedge. The main wedge 3 has a cross slit l and elongated recesses in both its sides. Between this main wedge 3 and the inner supporting part 2 is placed a conjugate wedge 4 holding a crushable friction element 5, preferably of wood, by means of projections 6 and l. The element 5 lies against the inner supporting part 2.

On both sides of the conjugate wedge 4, ears 8 i are fixed, which ears engage the upper edge of the outer part I of the prop, on the wedge shaped pocket 9, after a certain sliding movement of the conjugate wedge takes place whereby a further movement of the conjugate wedge is p-revented. The'front rake or taper of the conjugate wedge 4 may be varied according to conditions met with in practice; it is greater in the form shown in Fig.v 2 'than it is in the form shown in Fig. 1.

The inner supporting part 2, sliding in the outer supporting part l under telesco-ping pressure, takes the conjugate wedge with the wooden crushifng element with it until the ears 8 on both smes of the 'conjugate wedge lie on the upper edge of the outer supporting part I. Then the inner supporting part 2 alone may telescope further. The main wedge 3 therefore, serves only for the purposes of adjusting, fixing and releasingthe wedge gear and because it is made of iron and has only metal to metal contact with the elements 4 and 9 it may be easily released and adjustment of the supporting parts I and 2 may be readily efiected.

The main wedge is an important part of the clamp, since by raising or lowering it in the pocket 9 the conjugate wedge 4 may be moved farther down in the pocket or raised therein, as desired, to increase or diminish the pressure between the parts and 2 of the prop; the farther the wedges 3 and 4 and the block 5 are down in the pocket 9 the tighter will be the joint.

After initially adjusting the parts I and 2 and the several wedge parts, by forcing down the main wedge, as a fixing wedge, the action of the conjugating wedge 4 is completed. The unchangeable hollow space of the pocket 9, the variability of the slideway of the conjugate wedge, in cooperation with the main wedge, makes it possible to regulate or vary the pressure applied by the clamp to the prop parts in holding them together.

The ears 8 of the conjugate wedge are turned over the edges of the main wedge as at II into the recesses of the main wedge 3. This prevents separation of the parts 3 and 4 and consequently prevents the loss of a part. Further, by this construction the position of the conjugate wedge 4 and the beginning of its action is defined. This is important in order to insure a good and sure of increasing rock pressures which tend to teleu scope the members I and 2. In other words, because of the presence of the crushable element 5 and the wedge shape of the member 2, in cooperation with the other elements of the joint, the tendency of the prop I, 2, to shorten itself under increasing load effects an increase in the resistance of the joint. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, W63

declare that what we claim is: i 1. A metallic mine prop comprising a pair '01' telescopically movable prop .members,vthe in-' ner member being Wedge-shaped, the outer member having a wedge-shaped pocket, a friction and crushing element held in said pocket vto lie against said inner prop member, a wedge-shape'd' metallic plate engaging said friction and crushing element and a fastening and releasing wedge -located'in said pocket for forcing said plate against said friction and crushing element to force it in turn against said inner prop member.

2. A metallic mine prop comprising a .pair of telescopically movable prop members, the inner member being wedge-shaped, the outer member having a wedge-shaped pocket, a friction and crushing element held in said pocket to lie against said inner prop membena wedge-shaped metallic plate engaging said Vfriction and c'rushing element and a fastening and releasing wedge located in said pocket for forci'ng said plate against said friction and crushing element to force it in turn against said inner prop member, said plate being carried by said wedge. i

3. In mine props, two telescopic prop members one of which has a wedge shaped pocket through which the other projects, a wedge device located in said pocket for clamping the two prop members i together, said device including a.v main wedge member and a conjugate wed'ge member, said vmain wedge member having elongated recesses in its sides and said conjugate wedge member having tears entering said recesses to keep the wedge members together while permitting sliding movement between them.

4. In mine props, two telescopic prop members one of which has a wedge shaped pocket through i' which theother projects, a wedge device located 

